Astronomy, Photography and Weather

General Category => Astronomy & Space => Topic started by: martinastro on July 11, 2008, 02:45:12 pm



Title: C/2008 J1 Boattini
Post by: martinastro on July 11, 2008, 02:45:12 pm
This is the second comet Boattini visible. If you have a poor horizon then you might want to focus on this comet, over W1 Boattini, due to it's favourable location high in the circumpolar sky. Currently it can be found in Cepheus. The comet has now past perihelion and is expected to slowly fade. Some sources estimate the comet fainter than mag + 10.0 however a recent observation placed the interloper at mag +9.5. Certainly worth hunting down.

(http://i33.tinypic.com/jioxz9.gif)

Deep chart from Skyhound

http://www.skyhound.com/cometchasing/comets/2008_J1.gif


Title: Re: C/2008 J1 Boattini
Post by: brianb on July 13, 2008, 06:12:29 pm
Must have a go at this one then. The ephemeris I have is estimating mag. 13 which is out of my sensible reach (for a comet) but mag. 10 is definitely worth a go.


Title: Re: C/2008 J1 Boattini
Post by: martinastro on July 13, 2008, 06:16:46 pm
Hi Brian, here's an observation from the comets mailing list from July 8th...

C/2008 J1 (Boattini): 2008 July 7.98 UT: m1=9.8, Dia.=5', DC=3, 25x100B.
[ In 20 cm SCT (77x): m1=10.2 ].

I have my eye on this one myself.


Title: Re: C/2008 J1 Boattini
Post by: brianb on July 13, 2008, 07:54:13 pm
There's another comet which might be worth a shot at - 6P/d'Arrest is currently moving slowly south through Aquila, excellently placed for observation in a dark sky, brightening (according to the ephemeris) from 11.54 now to 10.65 at the end of the month.


Title: Re: C/2008 J1 Boattini
Post by: Carl O Beirnes on July 14, 2008, 07:54:54 pm
Nice one Martin I will keep an eye on that one.